Weed Information: Nelumbo lutea (lotus, American)
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Nelumbo lutea (lotus, American)

Family: Nelumbonaceae

Description

A large, aquatic perennial with large, round leaves attached at their center (peltate). The flowers often > 6 inches across with many yellow petals. Primarily in the central and eastern U.S.

Characteristics

Flower Color
  • Yellow
Inflorescence Type (How the flowers are arranged on the plant)
  • Solitary, terminal
Number of Petals
  • more than 10 petals
Petal Separation
  • Completely free to base
Petal Tip
  • Rounded
Flower Symmetry
  • Flowers regular
Flower Length (Head length in the Asteraceae)
  • 5.0 cm (2.0 inches) or more
Flower Width (Head width in the Asteraceae)
  • > 5.0 cm (> 2.0 inches)
Number of Sepals
  • more than 10 sepals
Sepal Separation
  • Completely free to base
Sepal Tip
  • Pointed
  • Rounded
Flower Sex
  • Bisexual (perfect)
Number of Styles
  • More than 10 styles
Number of Stamens
  • more than 10 stamens
Stamens Attached to the Petals
  • Stamens NOT attached to the petals
Stamens Connate (united)
  • Filaments or anthers NOT united

Carpel Separation
  • Carpels united (or one)
  • Carpels separated
Number of Carpels
  • >10 carpels
Ovary Position
  • Superior (hypogynous)
Fruit Length at Maturity
  • 8 mm (.32 inch)
  • 9 mm (.36 inch)
  • 1.0 cm (.40 inch)
Fruit Width at Maturity
  • 4 mm (.16 inch)
  • 5 mm (.20 inch)
  • 6 mm (.24 inch)
Burs
  • Fruit or seed NOT bur-like
Fruit Type
  • Nut

Leaf Arrangement
  • All basal
Leaf Type
  • Simple (including lobed leaves)
Stipules
  • Lacking
Tendrils
  • Tendrils absent
Venation
  • Palmate
Petiole (leaf stem) Blade Ratio
  • Petiole > 75% total length
Leaf Length (blade PLUS petiole)
  • 2 - 4 dm (8.0 - 16.0 inches)
  • 4 - 6 dm (1.3 - 2.0 feet)
  • > 6 dm (> 2.0 feet)
Leaf Width
  • 2 - 4 dm (8.0 - 16.0 inches)
  • > 4 dm (>1.3 feet)
Leaf Shape (simple leaves only)
  • Orbicular (round)
Leaf or Leaflet Margin
  • Entire
  • Undulate (sinuate, repand)
Leaf or Leaflet Blade Base
  • Clasping
  • Perfoliate
  • Truncate
Leaf or Leaflet Tip
  • Rounded (obtuse)
Leaf or Leaflet Blade Surface
  • Glabrous (NO hairs)
Succulence
  • Not succulent

Milky Juice
  • Juice NOT milky (watery)
Woodiness
  • Herbaceous
Spines or Thorns
  • Spines or Thorns ABSENT
Aromatic (vegetative structures)
  • Not aromatic
Life Cycle
  • Perennial
Plant Height at Maturity
  • 6 - 8 dm (2.0 - 2.6 feet)
  • 8 - 10 dm (2.6 - 3.3 feet)
  • 1 - 1.5 meters (3.3 - 5.0 feet)
  • 1.5 - 2.0 meters (5.0 - 6.6 feet)
Wind Dissemination
  • Not wind disseminated
Moisture Regime
  • Aquatic
Chlorophyll
  • Present
Growth Habit (while flowering)
  • Floating

Stem Cross Section
  • Round
Flowering Stem Leaves
  • Stem leafless
Main Stem Branches
  • Main stem unbranched

Root or Vegetative Propagule
  • Rhizomatous
  • Tuberous

US State
  • Alabama
  • Arkansas
  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Illinois
  • Kansas
  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Massachusetts
  • Maine
  • Michigan
  • Missouri
  • Mississippi
  • North Carolina
  • New Jersey
  • New York
  • Ohio
  • Pennsylvania
  • South Carolina
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Virginia
  • Wisconsin
  • West Virginia
  • Indiana
  • Maryland
  • California
  • Iowa
  • Minnesota
  • Oklahoma
  • Nebraska
Canadian Province or Territory
  • Ontario

  • Common Weeds of the United States, 1971 (ISBN 0-486-20504-5) See page: 172
  • Weeds of the United States and Their Control, Lorenzi 1987, ISBN# 0-442-25884-4 See page: 140
  • Listed as a `Weed` by the Biota of North America Program, 2008 x
  • Listed in the WSSA Composite List of Weeds X
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